ISRO to launch PSLV-C45 carrying EMISAT, 28 foreign satellites on Monday

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch the space agency's workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C45 (PSLV-C45) on Monday carrying onboard a total of 29 satellites, including EMISAT and 28 international satellites.

The launch of PSLV-C45 will take place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota on April 1 (Monday) at 9.30 am (IST).

Taking to Twitter, ISRO said, "An evening in Sriharikota! All set for the launch of #PSLVC45 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on April 1 at 09:30 am (IST). On board #EMISAT & 28 foreign satellites. Our updates will continue."

The EMISAT, weighing about 436 kg, is intended for electromagnetic spectrum measurement and is based on ISROs Indian Mini Satellite-2 (IMS-2) bus platform. Earlier in a statement, ISRO had given no details including the end-user of EMISAT.

The 28 international customer satellites are from Lithuania, Spain, Switzerland and the US and are being launched under commercial arrangements, ISRO had said.

This will be the 47th mission of the Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle program. 

In the previous statement, ISRO had said that the launch would be subject to weather condition. The launch was scheduled for March 21 but had been deferred to April 1.

This comes just days after India achieved a major milestone in its defence capabilities in space by shooting down a low earth orbit satellite using an anti-satellite (ASAT) missile.

The low orbit satellite was in an orbit 300 kilometres above the earth when the missile successfully shot it down bringing India at par with a few other countries in terms of space defence. The successful test of the ASAT missile gives India the ability to target enemy satellites in space as well as other objects which can be used to launch an attack on the country.

The PSLV-C44 was launched on January 24. It successfully injected Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 satellites into their designated orbits.